The Associate – Member Monitoring (Assurance) is responsible for conducting regular field monitoring of UTZ/RA Certificate Holders (members) to understand their progress in implementing UTZ/RA standards requirements. The Associate will use monitoring visits to identify member’s needs for additional support or further investigation of key issues including traceability, payment of premium, deforestation and child labor. The Postholder will provide regular reporting on field visits conducted. This position does not supervise any staff member.

Responsibilities: 

Member Monitoring

• Conduct regular visits to Certificate Holders (Members) to monitor progress on the implementation of improvement recommendations to close Non-Conformities identified in Audit reports
• Analyze information collected during field visits to
• Identify deviations and ongoing risks in members’ implementation of improvements
• Identify members’ needs for further training and support
• Identify observations that are inconsistent with the finding of Audit reports and signal the need for further investigation
• Provide regular reports, including through IT based reporting methods and providing related documents and photographs, on each visit.
• Schedule and implement regular follow-up visits based on the progress and needs of individual members
• Support Certificate Holders in the development of their geolocation and farms mapping strategy
• Collaborate with the Assurance Manager, Country Team, Standard & Assurance department and any other relevant departments to ensure the quality of implementation of Rainforest Alliance/UTZ rules and standards and certification procedures and processes
• Collaborate with the Assurance Manager, Country Team, Standard & Assurance department, Reimagining Certification teams and any other relevant departments to propose, design and implement improvements to the certification process and assurance system, and to support the rollout of the new standard and its related procedures.

 

General

• Develop strong trust relationships with members
• Represent Rainforest Alliance at the local level as required at relevant meetings and events with members and CBs;
• Maintain contact and/or develop relationship locally with authorities (local administration offices and local regulation boards offices) and partners; and
• Report regularly on interesting stories (successes and achievements, challenges and actions taken).
• Report regularly on Key Performances Indicators defined together with the management;
• Propose areas of improvement of RA’s assurance strategy, workplan and tools